Various types of information are usually displayed in a vehicle which, in particular, represent visually to the driver, data related to the operation of the vehicle. Traffic-related data may also be displayed in the vehicle for the driver. Formerly, analog mechanical indicating instruments were used to display this information. In particular, they were disposed within what is referred to as the instrument cluster in the vicinity of the primary field of view of the driver behind the steering wheel. The instrument cluster is used especially to indicate the speed, the fuel-tank level, the radiator temperature and other information specific to vehicle operation.
With the increase of electronic devices in the vehicle, it became necessary to display a greater quantity of information in the vehicle. For instance, modern vehicles include a multitude of driver-assistance systems whose information must be displayed in the vehicle. Furthermore, vehicles in many cases include a navigation system. Digital geographical roadmaps, together with a route and possibly various additional information, are able to be displayed by such a navigation system. Finally, modern vehicles frequently include communications and multimedia applications, including a mobile-phone interface and devices for the playback of music and speech. The possibility must exist for displaying information in the vehicle for these applications, as well.
For this reason, multifunction operating systems are frequently used in vehicles, which include one or more multifunction displays and operating elements by which the various devices contained in the vehicle are able to be operated. In this case, the operator control is assisted or guided by the information conveyed on the multifunction display. Moreover, using the operating system, it is possible to select what information is to be displayed on the multifunction display.
To permit flexible display of the varied information, freely programmable displays are used, for instance, which often take over the conveying of information by conventional mechanical instruments, as well. For example, German Published Patent Application No 10 2006 032 118 describes an instrument cluster for a motor vehicle which includes a display by which the velocity of the motor vehicle, the engine speed of the motor vehicle, the temperature of the engine of the motor vehicle, the tank fuel level and/or the time are able to be variably displayed. In addition, it is possible to display information of a navigation system, a telephone, a music system, an infotainment system and or an air-conditioning system.
In addition to the instrument cluster, frequently a display device is placed above the center console of the vehicle, by which further information may be displayed. This display device is used particularly as a multifunction display and for showing a geographical map of a navigation system. Such a multifunction display is described, for example, in German Published Patent Application No. 199 41 956.
The multifunction displays are operated in conjunction with an operating system that may include various operating elements. For example, in German Published Patent Application No. 199 41 956, a plurality of selection and function keys are provided for controlling the vehicle devices. On the other hand, German Published Patent Application No. 199 41 960 describes a multifunction operating element for selecting functional groups and individual functions, which includes a bidirectionally rotatable cylinder that, in addition, is movable in a direction perpendicular to the axis of rotation.
Furthermore, European Patent No. 0 366 132 describes a multifunction operating device in which functional groups and individual functions are selected with the aid of a rotary pressure-operated switch, the switch being operable in the direction of the axis of rotation. German Published Patent Application No. 199 44 324 describes a multifunction operating device, which has a rotary switch for selecting functions that are displayable within a display field of a display. Positioned around the rotary switch are pressure-operated switches, to which display fields of the display are likewise assigned. Finally, German Published Patent Application No. 103 24 579 describes an operating device for controlling vehicle devices, which has a touch-sensitive operator control panel.
In addition to the remote operating elements described above, it has further been proposed to provide the display itself with a touch-sensitive surface, and in this manner, to make what is referred to as a touchscreen available. In the case of such a touchscreen, the user touches the touchscreen with his/her fingertip, for example, in order to implement the operator control. The position of the contact is detected, evaluated, and assigned to an operating step. Virtual switches may be represented as graphical buttons on the display to assist the user in the operator control. A display device having a touch-sensitive surface, which is used in conjunction with a navigation system, is described, for example, in German Published Patent Application No. 10 2005 020 155.
Very special requirements arise for the display of information in a vehicle and for the operation of the various devices of the vehicle. The information is comprehended and the operation is carried out in the vehicle, inter alia, by the driver. The information should therefore be displayed in the vehicle such that as the driver is absorbing the information, he is not distracted while driving. The driver should therefore be able to comprehend the displayed information intuitively and quickly, so that he only has to turn away very briefly from what is happening on the road in order to absorb the information. Likewise, the vehicle devices should be operable as easily and intuitively as possible, so that the driver is able to operate the devices even while driving. If the operation is assisted or guided by a display, the display should be implemented such that for the operation, the driver only has to look at the display very briefly in order to carry out the operation.
In many cases, information is displayed in a vehicle in a manner that a portion of the gross information is displayed on the display area in the vehicle, and the user is able to alter the portion. For example, the gross information may relate to a list having a plurality of list entries. A portion of the list entries from the total list is displayed. By an operator action, the user is able to induce scrolling in order to display other list entries. For instance, during the operator action, the user may perform an operating movement of a specific length. In addition, for instance, the user may manipulate an operating element for a specific operating duration. The magnitude of the change or the extent to which the displayed information is changed, that is, in this case, the number of positions by which the list entries which are displayed changes, is a function in this case of the length of the operating movement or the operating duration.
If the gross information includes a very large volume of data like, for example, a very long list having many list entries or a geographical map, the problem arises that the operator action for scrolling to very remote list entries or areas of the map demands a high degree of time and attention on the part of the user. However, as explained above, this is disadvantageous for practical application in a vehicle.